Better Than Expected
by OnexLostxSoul
Summary: Suzaku goes out on a limb and attempts to woo Lelouch. Unfortunately their night doesn't go quite as he planned, and Arthur doesn't seem to be helping at all. SuzakuxLelouch.


Things were simple for Suzaku Kururugi. Should you ask Lelouch, he would tell you that his friend's mentality was naïve in nature. If Suzaku was given an order in the heat of battle, he would follow it because it was his duty. If Student Council President Milly Ashford asked him to revise the clubs' budget, he would happily do so because people depended on him. If he glanced Lelouch's way in history class and felt his heart swell, his palms sweat, and an overwhelming sensation to lock their lips, well… he was in love with Lelouch. And really, why shouldn't he be? Lelouch was everything people claimed he was and more. Intelligent, devoted, graceful, handsome, and _genuine_ above all else. Suzaku loved Lelouch and that was that. And what do you do when you love someone? You make an attempt to woo them. It's all very simple, you understand.

Suzaku's eyes shifted to the teacher occupied at her desk before flipping a page in his notebook and quickly scribbling:

_Got a pay raise. Let me treat you to dinner to celebrate. _

Concerned that the note might be too straightforward, he added a smiley face at the end of the message before tearing it from his spiral-bound pad and nudging Lelouch in the ribs. "Hmm?" Lelouch gave a start, turning away from the wall to stare at Suzaku with a half-lidded, befuddled expression. Suzaku rolled his eyes as the hand supporting Lelouch's head fell to the desk below, realizing his friend had been asleep. With slyness befitting of a soldier, he snuck Lelouch the note who (rather than glaring at him for interrupting his nap) smiled and quietly unfolded it under the desk. Without skipping a beat, the violet-eyed teenager flicked the cap off of his pen and replied:

_Sounds good. Desert included, naturally._

Suzaku could feel the heat rise to his cheeks as he read the words over and over and over again. It was all too easy to warp the message to mean exactly what he wanted it to mean. He blinked and shook himself out of his daze, as he had been undoubtedly staring at the note for a suspiciously long while.

_It's a deal. Nine o' clock- you, me, and fine French cuisine. _

Lelouch nodded, tucking the evidence into his unopened book before turning back to the wall to steal a few more minutes of sleep. Suzaku took a deep breath, attempting to calm his heart that had been raging for the last thirty minutes- ever since he'd begun contemplating this scheme. There, that wasn't so hard. All that was left to do was make Lelouch love him.

xXxBetterThanExpectedxXx

Things were complicated for Lelouch Lamperouge. Suzaku teased him, telling him that he _made _things complicated. If he was engaged in a strategic battle, he would swiftly assess all available opportunities and all available consequences. If he was forcibly enrolled in remedial physical education classes, he would weigh his obligations and skip class- because his time was much better spent gathering intel and feeding the fire of rebellion. If he met Suzaku's eyes- his beautiful, emerald eyes- and felt an irrational need to be close to him, well… he would dismiss those sensations because they defied his ultimate ambitions. After all, he had a world to rebuild. Even if Suzaku was charming, amusing, loyal, and strong of will- he was the master of the Lancelot. The white knight, the thorn in Zero's side. Alright, so maybe Lelouch did love Suzaku. But factors such as emotions, the rebellion, and the very sake of their friendship kept the young man's lips sealed. It's all very complicated, you understand.

So when Lelouch took his time dressing that evening, he had some trouble explaining away the fact that he changed his shirt three times, spent five whole minutes choosing a cologne, and couldn't stop fiddling with his tie. …What? He still had to look his best, even if he wasn't trying to impress Suza- anyone. He pulled his black overcoat atop his crimson button-up, backing away to assess his appearance.

"I haven't seen you spend so much time on your apparel since Ashford's Cross-dressing Festival."

Lelouch's eyes narrowed, shifting to meet the amber gaze of a certain witch through his mirror. "Is it a crime to want to look presentable?"

C.C. shrugged, propping her elbow on _Lelouch's _ pillow and reclining on _Lelouch's _ bed as though she owned the damn thing. "So defensive. I was only making an observation." Her lips twisted into a bored grimace as she reached toward the nightstand and clasped her hand around _Lelouch's _cell phone, no doubt to order pizza using _Lelouch's _credit card.

"Yes, well, feel free to keep your observations to yourself in the future." Lelouch leaned forward to inspect his teeth, making ridiculous faces in the mirror in order to assess his oral hygiene.

C.C. promptly ignored him in favor of addressing the man over the phone. "Yes, delivery. I'd like three extra-large pizzas with double cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage, and tomatoes… To Ashford Academy… The Lamperouge tab."

Lelouch rolled his eyes, giving himself one final evaluation before removing himself from the room, ignoring C.C.'s somewhat satirical comment: "Knock 'em dead, Stud." He poked his head into the lounge where Nunnally sat at the table, her delicate hands molding fuchsia origami paper. Lelouch leaned against the door, watching the sight fondly for a minute or two with a smile. Even in her blindness, she folded each crane with expertise befitting of one with faultless vision.

He cleared his throat to announce his presence before approaching and resting his hands on the shoulders of his sister. "I wanted to wish you goodnight, just in case I make it back late."

"Don't stay out too late, Lelouch. It's a school night after all." Nunnally giggled, covering Lelouch's hands with her own. "Tell Suzaku I said 'hi'."

"Of course." Lelouch threaded his fingers through her hair affectionately. "G'night Nunnally."

"Goodnight."

Lelouch stepped back, flipping out his cell phone to check the time. _8:57_. Three minutes early. Would Suzaku be waiting for him? Would be seem desperate if he was found waiting by Suzaku? More importantly, why on earth would such things be of consequence? "I'm going to head out. Don't hesitate to call me if you need me." He tucked his cell phone into his pocket, then checked the other for his wallet. Convinced he had not left anything vital behind (for instance, his pants), he took his leave and strode down the steps of the building, hoping that the shadowed figure at the school gates was indeed Suzaku and not an assassin of sorts. The friendly wave and shout of 'Hey Lelouch!' was enough to reassure him that he was not marching into his impending death.

xXxBetterThanExpectedxXx

Suzaku stood at the gates of the school, pondering his next move. Should he wait here for Lelouch? Or perhaps he should approach the residence and knock on the door? No, that was too much like a date. But in the end, wasn't that what he was aiming for? Much to his relief, the decision was made for him when the doors opened, revealing a well-dressed (and very handsome) Lelouch. To announce his presence, he lifted a hand into the air and called, "Hey Lelouch!" Suzaku tugged nervously at the sleeves of his black blazer, unnerved by the foreign clothing. He had pawned a suit off of a military comrade and threw it over a nice royal blue shirt, praying that he would make a presentable date. His heart leapt when Lelouch approached, his mind muddled with urgency. He owed Lelouch a compliment… but not one that would instigate awkwardness. He settled for an enthusiastic, "You look nice." Unfortunately, his voice jumped a few octaves on the final word. Suzaku winced, putting 'vocal cord control' on the top of his list of things to look out for.

"Don't sound so surprised," Lelouch said with a smile, a smile that was all too different from the victorious smirk he adorned during a chess game or the tolerant grin he wore when participating in Student Council shenanigans. "It's nice to see you out of uniform for once."

Suzaku chuckled, unwilling to admit how out of sorts he felt when he was not adorned in either his school uniform or his flight suit. "The restaurant isn't far. You don't mind walking, do you?"

Lelouch shook his head, glancing up at the clear night sky illuminated only by the thin crescent moon above and the occasional spattering of stars. "It's a nice night." He took a deep breath, relishing the cool evening air for the first time in a while whilst not behind the mask of Zero. He trailed half of a step behind Suzaku, stretching his arms out behind him with a sigh. It had been a long time since he'd felt so… obligation free. But that was the magic of being with Suzaku; you could forget about being an internationally renowned terrorist for a while. "So, you've finally been put on a decent payroll. They'd better extend your health insurance if you're going to be steering that death trap around for them." _As if I'm one to talk. _

Suzaku grimaced, running a hand over his neck as his eyes shifted to the concrete below. "I have limited coverage."

The corner of Lelouch's lips twitched downward with disgust that was just barely concealed in his voice. "The Honorary Britannian status doesn't extend far enough."

"It's a good system," Suzaku protested, perhaps more out of loyalty than opinion. "Without it, I couldn't have gotten where I am today." His words were met with only a sigh that would have been overlooked had it not been for the utter silence of the night. "What are you thinking, Lelouch?" he asked softly, daring to meet the other's eyes. For a moment when their gazes met, Suzaku's heart sickened as though every ounce of Lelouch's anger toward Britannia was somehow directed at him.

"I'm pondering how quickly you come to the defense of a nation that so plainly oppresses the Japanese people and every Non-Britannian under its jurisdiction." A touch of irritation tinged Lelouch's otherwise indifferent tone.

"I've come to accept that progress takes time." Suzaku shrugged, running a hand nervously through his hair. The last thing he wanted to do was argue with Lelouch tonight, of all nights! "Take myself for instance. Who would've thought that a Japanese man would be piloting a Knightmare Frame for the government?"

Lelouch's lips parted for what appeared to be a sharp retort, but the teenager held his tongue with a contemplative expression that made his comrade a tad bit uneasy. Instead, Lelouch intertwined his hands behind his neck and said, "Do you want to go to the moon, Suzaku?"

Suzaku blinked, reviewing the words in his head and pondering a possible misunderstanding. When he decided that he did not grasp the significance of the question, am intelligent "Huh?" escaped his lips.

A misplaced smile spread over Lelouch's face as he averted his gaze toward the moon. "All astronauts start out as Knightmare pilots. The Federal Space Exploratory Organization picks the best pilots and trains them to handle spaceships. Maybe someday you could go to the moon, if you wanted. Another planet, even."

Suzaku grinned, one hand framing his jaw with thought. "I don't know. I've always thought spacesuits look a bit silly."

"I agree. A flight suit is exponentially more flattering on you." Lelouch continued speaking, his friend's bright crimson blush going unnoticed. "Even so, it's something to consider. Space is one of the few places that world powers aren't grappling over yet. Unexplored, unclaimed… Maybe it's better we view it from a distance after all."

_Someday, I'm sure the greed of humans will find a way to destroy that peace too. _Suzaku pursed his lips, instinctively moving closer to Lelouch as silence gave way to the gentle buzz of downtown. Some of the most beautiful things are off-limits," he murmured beneath his breath, Lelouch seeming not to have heard. _Alright, Suzaku. Focus. Objective: Court Lelouch. Obstacle: Your own incompetence. Initiate. _He wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulder, faking a shiver as he pressed the yielding body against his own. "It's freezing out here." In truth, his skin was burning and his blood boiling as he felt Lelouch's form pressed against him. It took all of his effort to disguise the hitch in his breath as Lelouch relaxed into his hold. It wasn't unusual for Suzaku to initiate friendly contact between the two, yet he found himself inexplicably flustered. Perhaps it was his intentions that made the action seem all that more sensual?

xXxBetterThanExpectedxXx

Lelouch sighed, surprised but not at all displeased when Suzaku's arm wrapped around his shoulders. Even so, he could not be more certain that the circumstances were taunting him. He had resolved that any feelings he harbored for Suzaku could not be acted upon, yet that man was walking him to dinner in his arms. The world was surely playing a cruel, tasteless joke upon him. His mind flittered about as he reflected on the matter, too engrossed in his thoughts to realize Suzaku had halted. As a result, the arm around his back drifted to his waist and him firmly against Suzaku's chest. Lelouch tried to will away the blush on his cheeks, and the hand was removed all too quickly for his liking.

"This is the place Milly told me about," Suzaku announced, gesturing to the glass double doors on the left that lead to the _La Buvette_. "I don't know much about French food, so I figured you could order for the both of us." He stepped forward and tugged on the leftmost door, a quirky grin pulling at his lips. "After you."

"Don't mind if I do." Lelouch made a pretentious show of walking through the door, casting a wink toward his friend as he passed. He could hear Suzaku's stifled laughter echo along with their footsteps in the enclosed lobby. Lelouch blinked, slightly disorientated by the golden trim of the beige wallpaper that reflected the shimmering chandeliers above well enough to induce an epileptic fit. Suzaku strode up to the podium with Lelouch on his heels, biting back his amusement as he declared to the man behind the stack of menus:

"I have reservations under-"

"I have no intention of seating you tonight, sir."

Suzaku blinked as the host raised an unamused eyebrow at him. "But… I made a reservation," he repeated, and Lelouch's blood turned cold.

"My apologies, sir, but in this district restaurants cater to _Britannians._"

The downward flicker in Suzaku's eyes was enough to rattle Lelouch's heart in his chest. The sheer injustice of it reverted him into the demeanor of Zero, voice low and threatening as he reached a hand forward and clasped it onto the podium. "This man is an Honorary Britannian and a member of the armed forces. He risks his life every day in the name of your pathetic existence, and you-" Lelouch was yanked by the arm through the doors faster than he could blink, once more standing in the chilly night air. And here he had been all prepared to use his Geass to cajole the host into offering them a free dinner for his rudeness.

"Lelouch, it's okay," Suzaku mumbled. His hand was still wrapped firmly around the other's bicep, but Lelouch had no time to relish the sensation now. "We can go get pizza or something."

"You can't be serious," Lelouch growled, wrenching his arm out of the other's grip. His heart pounded in his chest, fueling his rage and indignation. For someone to treat Suzaku with such disrespect… it was infuriating, to say the least. "You claim to labor for the betterment of Japan and you let people treat you like _that_?"

"Stirring up trouble would only worsen the situation. You have to change the system before you can change the outlook of the masses"

Lelouch scowled and crossed his arms with clear distaste. "Is that what you've been aiming for?"

"By reworking the system and changing it from the inside, you prove to the people that fundamental change can be cemented without violence and upheaval. That's permanent change that they can believe in."

Lelouch sighed, crossing his arms at his chest. Suzaku's words sounded so sincere, as though the Japanese boy had unconditional faith in them. And yet, they seemed so terribly naïve in light of Lelouch's experience. "In an ideal world," he finally murmured as he jerked his head in the direction from which they came. "Come on. Let's head back the academy. I bet I can cook us a great dinner that won't burn a hole in your pocketbook."

Suzaku's smile returned and thus the night was restored in Lelouch's eyes. With a smug grin, he took Suzaku by the hand and marched his way back to the academy with his friend in tow. If the universe thought that their evening would be ruined by a racist dining host, Lelouch would teach it a lesson it shan't soon forget. _Good thing I set that pork out to thaw last night. _When they reached the Lamperouge campus residence, all but one light on the upper floor had been extinguished.

"Nunnally isn't still awake, is she?" Suzaku asked, frowning up at the illuminated room.

Lelouch shook his head, fumbling for the key in his pocket. "No, that's probably Sayoko. I'd better let her know I'm back. You remember where my room is, right?"

"Left off of the stairwell, third door on the right," he proudly recited from memory.

"Go ahead and change into more comfortable clothes. You're way too overdressed to eat at the _Residence de Lamperouge_." This earned a chuckle as the door swung open, and Lelouch flipped a single light switch to dimly illuminate the entryway. "You can stay the night if you want, Suzaku. It'd be silly for you to walk back to the barracks tonight."

What was meant to be worded as 'But I have to wake up and get to work' somehow morphed into, "As long as you wake me up in time to get to work."

"Go ahead and set my alarm to whatever time you need." Lelouch started off for the kitchenette-equipped lounge, oblivious to Suzaku's darkening blush.

xXxBetterThanExpectedxXx

He was spending the night with Lelouch! …Alright, alright. He was spending the night in Lelouch's home. Despite having utterly failed at securing a dinner reservation, the night didn't seem to be turning out all that badly. He strode up the stairwell with more enthusiasm than the average man would, trying not to feel like a pervert when he yanked open the top drawer of Lelouch's dresser only to reveal his friend's undergarments. After procuring a loose T-shirt (which he may or may not have inhaled into to savor Lelouch's scent) and a pair of sweatpants, he set his friend's alarm to a bitter 5:00 am. He grimaced at the mere thought of dragging himself to base in the morning. When he returned to the downstairs lounge, he found Lelouch hovering over a recipe book with his jacket discarded over a nearby chair and his sleeves rolled up. Suzaku held back his laughter upon noticing the floral-print apron Lelouch had neatly tied around his waist.

"Can I do anything to help?" Suzaku peeked over the teenager's shoulder.

"You can find me a sauce pan and a frying pan. The strainer too, if you wouldn't mind."

"You got it boss!" Suzaku eagerly hopped to his task, clearly a military man at heart. Meanwhile, Lelouch traveled from the refrigerator to the cabinets acquiring ingredients while Suzaku made poor attempts at guessing what his friend was going to concoct.

"Ginger? Are we having sushi?"

"No."

"Oooh, rice. Gonna make rice balls?"

"No."

"Green beans smothered in…. brown sugar… and drizzled with soy sauce?"

"How repulsive."

"Hey, you're the one pulling out the ingredients."

Lelouch sighed, a smile crossing his features as he nodded for Suzaku to join him at the stove. "In this pan, we're going to make a glaze for the pork chops. We boil the brown sugar, the soy sauce, the ginger, and the vegetable oil together. And then we use the cornstarch to thicken it like this…" Lelouch went on giving Suzaku a cooking lesson of sorts, teaching him how to judge the pork chops' cooking time, how to maintain the tenderness of the meat, and how to balance the cooking time of the main course with the side dish. "Stop that," Lelouch mumbled distractedly, flipping the pork chops with one hand and slapping Suzaku's fingers with the other as they inched toward the sweet glaze for an extra taste.

"This is gonna be reeeeeally good," Suzaku exclaimed, smacking his lips with anticipation. His joy disintegrated into a pout as his hand was once again slapped away from the sauce pan.

"I'll let you lick the spoon if you're good." The utter nonchalance with which the words were said combined with their suggestive connotation was enough to make Suzaku dizzy. "There's some cola in the fridge."

Suzaku nodded, reaching into the fridge toward the first aluminum can he saw. Upon closer inspection, his hand was quickly withdrawn. "I didn't know you drank beer, Lelouch." He wrinkled his nose with distaste. Here he had been imagining that Lelouch's lips would taste of a more sophisticated beverage, like wine or sparkling mineral water.

"Hmm?" Lelouch performed a small taste test on a pork chop, finding it to his liking. "Oh, no. That's for cooking. The cola's on the side shelf."

Suzaku sighed with relief knowing that any kiss (real or imagined) between himself and Lelouch wouldn't taste of beer. He grabbed two soda cans while dinner was plated and set them out on the coffee table before the lounge sofa (using proper coasters, naturally). Before joining Lelouch on the couch, he took rightful possession of the spoon and gave it a good licking. His mouth watered as he sat himself down next to his friend, hips and shoulders touching as they leaned forward to savor their meal. The moment the first bite of glazed pork hit his tongue, Suzaku was convinced that heaven was upon the earthly world. He chewed very slowly, relishing the rich flavor that was nothing like the bland food of the military mess hall. "Marry me, Lelouch." He was hardly joking, but the sound of his friend's laughter filled the air.

"At least try the stir-fry before we start picking out a wedding cake."

Suzaku happily consented. "You spoil me," he spoke through his mouthful, earning a raised eyebrow from Lelouch and a napkin shoved in his face.

"That I do." Lelouch curled up on the couch with his plate on his lap, looking a little silly still in his formalwear. Suzaku swore he saw the faintest hint of a blush painting the other's pale face. So intently he stared, that he noticed the lone grain of rice that clung to the corner of Lelouch's mouth. At once, he realized the chance he had been waiting for had dawned upon him. With all of the grace and elegance of a lover, he leaned forward and cupped Lelouch's face with a single hand, thumb gracing over his lips.

Violet eyes widened as Suzaku spoke in a husky voice, "You have some rice on your face. Let me get it for you." He leaned forward, heart pounding as he grew closer and closer… when he suddenly squealed and leapt in his seat, knocking both his own plate of food and Lelouch's into the Britannian's lap. "Yeow!" Suzaku didn't need to look down to know that the searing pain in his left heel was a result of a certain feline's teeth digging into the flesh. "Arthur? What are you doing down here?" He reached down and gently pried the cat away, flinching as droplets of blood seeped through the fabric of the sweats he had borrowed from Lelouch.

"I keep his litter box in the bathroom on this floor." Suzaku turned toward Lelouch at these words, his jaw dropping in horror when he noticed the mess he had made. "Oh, Lelouch! I- I'm so sorry!" There was a mess of pork, rice, and fried vegetables all over Lelouch's pants, and Suzaku could feel only self-loathing swirl in the pit of his stomach.

"You can't help being a klutz, I suppose. " Lelouch grimaced, scooping the majority of the food between the two fallen plates. "I was going to go up and change anyway. Put these plates by the sink. I'll be down in a minute." The teenager hustled down the hall and up the stairwell, leaving Suzaku to glare at the cat now proudly seated in Lelouch's place.

"I hope you're pleased with yourself," Suzaku growled, crossing his arms in a pout. "Here I had a second chance at our date and you ruined it!"

"Meow!" Arthur's tail swished back and forth, oblivious to the utter devastation he had caused. Suzaku sighed, reaching out to scratch the cat's ear, earning a purr of toleration.

"No, it's not your fault," Suzaku reassured him, withdrawing his hand as Arthur inclined his head to nibble on his fingers. "I don't think I ever really stood a chance." He gathered up the dishes with a heavy heart and set them on the countertop with a thud before retreating back to the sofa and slumping into the seat. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _ he berated himself, curling up and settling his head on the armrest. Arthur found it necessary to jump up onto his chest and seat himself, only adding to the heaviness he felt there. He let out the deepest sigh in the history of sighs, and allowed his eyes to flicker shut.

"Falling asleep on me?"

Suzaku's eyes shot open to reveal Lelouch kneeling next to the couch, now dressed in a form-fitting black muscle shirt and a pair of plaid cotton pants that hung loosely around his hips. …Not that he personally noticed these details. They are inserted purely for the sake of those bearing witness to these events. Lelouch held up a spoon adorned with some sort of dessert, a smile pulling at his lips as he spoke, "Open wide." Suzaku's lips obediently parted, and he was rewarded with the sweet taste of blackberries. He made a soft noise of appreciation, immediately blushing as the spoon slipped out of his mouth. Lelouch went for another spoonful out of a porcelain dish as he spoke, "Blackberry cobbler. It's leftover from yesterday. It's Nunnally's favorite, you know."

"It's really, really…" Suzaku's words disintegrated off of the tip of his tongue as he watched Lelouch take a bite of the cobbler… using the same spoon that had only seconds before been in his own mouth. "Delicious," he finished softly, as Lelouch held out another spoonful for him. This time the blackberries tasted all the sweeter as a result of sharing germs with his beloved. Weird? Probably. Lelouch fed them both in turn until the bowl was empty, and Suzaku could only mechanically swallow as he watched the other run his tongue over the spoon. "Th-thanks, Lelouch. That was great."

"Glad to be of service."

xXxBetterThanExpectedxXx

Lelouch never panicked when things went wrong. Panic was the key to one's downfall. If he found himself in a messy situation, his natural sense of rationality and composure made him capable of sorting it all out. Whether it was a battle maneuver intercepted or a dinner date gone wrong, Lelouch could remedy the situation. This made his instincts the most reliable kind, mind you. Therefore, he only started panicking when he ignored his own better judgment which never, _ever _happened… except when he was around Suzaku. Somehow, his actions toward Suzaku often transcended said judgment.. A side effect of his deep affections? Perhaps.

And that was how he found himself on his knees, spoon-feeding his best friend blackberry cobbler. He licked his lips for more than one reason as he stood and carried the now-empty dish toward the sink. What had he been thinking, tempting himself like that? His 'better judgment' told him not to flirt, not to induce unnecessary sensual contact, and not to swap saliva with Suzaku Kururugi. And (in a manner of speaking) here he was doing all of those things! Suzaku trailed behind him as he led the way up the stairwell, his fingers tapping nervously against the banister. _Get a hold of yourself, Lelouch. You already made it clear that this isn't a matter you should be pursuing. And yet… he seemed to be responding well to my advances. That, or he's incredibly naïve. _

"I'm gonna go check on Nunnally," he whispered, motioning for Suzaku to go on without him. His heart skipped when Suzaku offered him a wide, knowing smile as he disappeared into Nunnally's room. He shifted through the darkness, making out the form of his sister lying in bed. He ran his fingers through her hair, watching her chest expand and contract for a moment before pressing a kiss against her forehead. "Sweet dreams." Lelouch crept out of her room and shut the hall light off, rejoining Suzaku to find the teenager sitting on his bed and making futile attempts to pet the cat that had curled up on _Lelouch's _pillow. C.C. had made herself scarce as expected, and yet his bed was still occupied!

"Does Arthur crawl into your bed often?" Suzaku asked with a hint of jealousy, his fingers sliding cautiously toward the cat only to receive a warning swat of his paw.

Lelouch smirked, reaching over Suzaku to successfully pet the feline and earning a gentle purr. "Nah. He usually only crawls into bed with Nunnally. He's in here because you're here." Suzaku appeared a little happier at this fact, despite receiving a firm bite to his index finger. Lelouch chuckled, earning a tongue stuck out in his direction.

"It's okay, Arthur," Suzaku spoke soothingly, making absurd kissing noises between words. "I know you only bite me because you love me."

And here came a prime example of Lelouch ignoring his better judgment. He hopped onto the bed, wrapped his hand around Suzaku's wrist, yanked it toward his lips, and gently sunk his teeth into the flesh. Suzaku's eyes widened and his mouth rounded, a moment of terse silence passing between them before Lelouch raised an innocent eyebrow and spoke, "What? I love you too." Their eyes met and the two promptly burst out laughing. Suzaku hiccupped though his subsiding giggles, smiling sweetly at him. Lelouch breathed a sigh of relief knowing that he hadn't forever repulsed his friend. The remnants of any such suspicion were swiftly eradicated when Suzaku leaned forward and bit his neck tendon. Lelouch distantly wondered if Suzaku could feel his furious pulse.

Suzaku withdrew slightly, eyes half-lidded and glazed as he whispered, "And I love you, Lelouch."

Lelouch felt as though he couldn't draw a breath when he met those sparkling green eyes tinged with uncertainty. The thoughts that he was trying so desperately to collect kept slipping right through his fingers. He knew that there was a multitude of reasons why he shouldn't- _couldn't_- share such levels of intimacy with Suzaku… but all of the sudden, he couldn't remember a single one of those reasons. All that mattered was here, now, and Suzaku Kururugi. He must have been silent for longer than he realized, for the anxiety in his companion's face was mounting.

"Lelouch, I… I'm sorry. If you-"

"Shut up." The obsidian-haired Britannian put a finger to the other's lips, effectively silencing him. "I'm thinking." His brow furrowed, leaning forward to stare intently into his friend's eyes. "But… maybe that's the problem?" Suzaku's answer (which would hardly have been intelligible anyway) was interrupted by a pair of lips intercepting his own. Lelouch allowed his eyes to flicker shut, focusing solely on the soft trembling of the other's lips beneath his own. When Suzaku didn't pull away, a hand felt its way up his side and cupped his face.

xXxBetterThanExpectedxXx

Suzaku could barely process the situation above the thudding of his heart, but sometime between Lelouch's lips meeting his own and the teenager's hand caressing his face, he took a moment to congratulate himself. Even in spite of screwing up their restaurant reservations, spilling a beautiful homemade meal in Lelouch's lap, and biting his best friend… he had somehow won the kiss of his beloved. Heaven knows how, but he'd done it. In his attempts to woo Lelouch, he himself had been charmed by blackberry cobbler and a nip to the wrist. Lelouch pulled away, only to rest his head in the crook of his neck. A smile of victory spread across Suzaku's face, and he combed a hand through the other's hair while mouthing to the cat on Lelouch's pillow, 'Thank you.' Arthur merely rested his head on his paw, tail swishing back and forth as he observed the young men disinterestedly.

Lelouch pulled away with a sigh and a smile that resembled surrender of some sort. "You've got me, Kururugi."

"Have I?"

"Indeed." Lelouch's hand traveled down his chest, causing a shiver to run down his spine. "And you have since the day we met."

"You mean the day I called you a 'stupid Brit' and punched you in the face?"

"The very same."

Suzaku's heart swelled, and before he knew what was happening he had toppled Lelouch over in a fierce embrace. Words came tumbling out of his mouth faster than he could think them: "Lelouch, I'm so sorry I wanted this night to be perfect because you're perfect but all I did was screw up and you're too good to me and I don't deserve it and we were supposed to have this great dinner and then I was gonna take you out on the balcony and kiss you under the moonlight and it was gonna be so great but-" He was interrupted once more in the best possible way, and Lelouch pulled back until he was resting his head on the pillow with Arthur playfully pawing at his raven locks.

"Suzaku…" Lelouch smiled, reaching up to caress the other's face. "You don't have to _try _so hard." With that, the teenager reached over toward the nightstand and flicked the switch at the base of the lamp. Darkness swept over the room as Lelouch shifted onto his side and gave Arthur a nudge toward the edge of the bed. "Down," he ordered, and was promptly ignored. The feline slyly squirmed his way between the teenagers and curled up into a tight ball. Suzaku blinked, reality seeping through his stunned elation. He settled down onto Lelouch's pillow and threw the discarded, rumpled comforter over the three of them. And as Suzaku wound his arm around the slender body of his beloved, he decided that the night really hadn't gone all that badly.

xXxBetterThanExpectedxXx

At 4: 47 a.m., Suzaku Kururugi awoke in the bed of Lelouch vi Britannia and a cat by the name of Arthur sprawled between them.

At 4: 52 a.m., Suzaku Kururugi somehow fought through his hazy rapture to turn off the alarm set to awaken him in eight minutes.

At 4:59 a.m., Suzaku Kururugi attempted to crawl silently out of bed, only to be stilled by Lelouch's arms around his waist and a soft mumble of "Don't go." He begrudgingly consented after prioritizing his morning responsibilities.

At 5: 47 a.m., Suzaku Kururugi received a cell phone call from Earl Lloyd Asplund, which he promptly leapt out of bed to answer in hopes that it would not disturb Lelouch.

"Hello?"

"Just as I thought! See, Miss. Cecile? He's not dead, just lazy. Is there any reason you are not inside of the cockpit of the Lancelot, Kururugi?"

"Sir, I-"

"Were you not scheduled to run a test drive on the updated Harken Boosters this morning?"

"If you'll allow-"

"There was a time when I thought only bodily mutilation could keep Suzaku Kururugi from attending work, but I suppose I misjudged your commitment."

"No, I-"

"Is it mutilation? You should tell me now if it is, because finding another pilot will be a tedious process."

"I'm just-"

"Cecile! Kururugi is mutilated. Bring me a list of pilots capable of effectively piloting the Lancelot."

Suzaku flinched as the shriek of Cecile was heard in the background. "Sir, please! I'm not mutilated! I'm just… occupied."

A terse moment of silence passed before Lloyd's airy voice cried out in a sing-song voice, "Oh, I see! Your date last night must have gone as expected. Suzaku, you dog!"

"What?"

"LLOYD!" The sound of a thwack and a cry of pain were heard before Cecile took custody of the phone. "Suzaku, I'm so sorry. Don't mind Lloyd; you can come in after school to drive the Lancelot. So…" Her voice lowered significantly, tinted with a hint of mischief that Suzaku had never quite heard from Cecile. "Between you and I, Suzaku. How did your night go?"

With a glance at the teenager in the bed, he answered with a soft smile, "Better than expected."


End file.
